5 comments about Magellan Maestro 3210 3.5-Inch Portable GPS Navigator.

1. Thinking of buying this GPS? Well, more reasons here from me. I bought after reviewing others and have to tell you it's an excellent unit at a very fair price. SO easy to use it's silly. Especially love the color display and the night-time mode is smart. I only hesitated to buy this only because I thought you might have to spend more on these things. Not so! This is fun and our whole family has used it already.



2. The magellan Maestro 3210 GPS is great! We really enjoy it! The only thing we don't like is that when it rains, the volume isn't loud enough.



3. When my Garmin StreetPilot's hard drive failed, I panicked. I had become used to having a GPS device in my car. Since I had recently purchased a Garmin nüvi 650 4.3-Inch Widescreen Portable GPS Navigator for our other car, I couldn't justify getting one of the more full featured models. Because the Magellan Maestro's price was right and because it had the basic features I needed, I bought it.
   
   The Maestro picks up satellites much faster than the Garmin Nuvi does, even if you unplug it and transport it across the country. There's never any waiting to acquire satellites. This is especially important when you're driving in an unfamiliar area or need a quick recalculation. It has a largely useless but cool feature of showing how many satellites are tracking you and the strength of the signal. However, the map navigation software, the heart and soul of a GPS unit, is quirkier than the Garmin's, with an occasional outrageous route plotted. For example, it plotted a 90 minute route for a trip that I can make in 65 minutes, even though I had selected the fastest route on the touch screen; every time I disregarded the GPS directions, it would subtract another few minutes - odd, since it supposedly chose the fastest route to begin with. Most of the time, however, it selects the logical route, allowing users to program it for the fastest, shortest, most- and least-use of highways. Although I did have one problem with the GPS not getting me to my point-of-interest, I haven't had an issue since. The lack of trust that one miss creates is phenomenal. You shouldn't have to question your GPS. Still, it always gets me home. (Both brands may get the side of the street incorrect; for example, both list my address as being on the opposite side of the street.)
   
   The Magellan uses different chimes to indicate the exact moment to turn, and it gives enough warning of approaching actions. The points of interest are adequate for most uses, although typing in, say, a school (for those traveling to see high school sports!) works better than trying to figure out which category it might belong to. I really like the feature that shows small gas station and restaurant icons on the map. The keyboard for entering addresses is easy to view and use. Recalculation is quick, and it doesn't hang or keep recalculating absurd ways to get back to the original route as our Nuvi can since it recognizes much faster when I want to pick an alternate route. The 3-D view is accurate and visible, even with the smaller 3.5 inch screen. The battery life lasts about 90 minutes, not enough to make it practical to double as a hand-held or to use without the car charger.
   
   The unit comes with an auto charger, a cable to connect to your PC (Windows only, not Mac), and a suction disc/long-neck cradle to attach, more or less permanently, to your dashboard. Its size makes it easy to tuck out of sight.
   
   All in all, this is a good choice for a budget GPS unit since all brands have their issues, especially at this price range. Those who depend heavily on GPS directions may want to invest in a better model, but infrequent users and those on a tight budget may find that the Magellan Maestro is their best bet. This unit would get two or three stars compared to the pricier Garmin units, but, in its price range, it is a sure four star product.



4. I had experience with another Maestro product and good performance brought me back to the line. Size and price were major decision points. This is compact and great price point. Fast shipping and delivery by Amazon. First unit arrived with defect, after quick trouble shooing call to Maestro tech support on Saturday! the instruction was to return the new unit. Simple and fast Amazon return process had another unit in route to me immediately via on line return system. New unit was fine and has been AOK. Simple user interface and a nice deep list of menu options with AAA listings etc. Best out of this was recommendation by Corvette user forum for simple mounting solution. " Stick suction cup mount on top if a nice smooth black spray paint can lid, then place lid down into a cup holder on dash!!" Instant mount convenient to cigarette lighter power point too. Easy to select a matching spray paint can lid to match your car's interior color.
   Great price, good product, compact size, easy install. I would recommend this product.



5. I purchased this Magellan Maestro 3210 GPS as my first GPS. I did not want one with all the bells and whistles (just more to go wrong on them anyway). My GPS has performed very well so far and is easy to set up, understand and use. I have only had good results from this GPS and the price paid was very affordable. ($117.00)

1 comments about Nextar W3-01 3.5-Inch Touch Screen GPS Vehicle Navigator.

1. I bought this recently, knowing nothing about any GPS models and the differences between them. I was attracted by the low price and decided I would take a chance. If it didn't work well, I would simply return it within the 30 days.
   
   It didn't take long for the unit to establish my location (home). Figuring out how to use it took less than 10 minutes. Entering destination information is easy, simply tapping on the screen, and the unit allows you to store favorite locations. Voice instructions are clear and easy to follow and there have been no misdirections. Amongst a number of cool features, I like the fact that you can do a "demo" run - sort of like a trial run of the journey before driving - very cool! So far, no problems at all and I wish I had bought one earlier, instead of trying to follow printed MapQuest directions. I would like to come back and rereview once I have used this for longer.
   
   One reason I have not given this 5 stars at this time, is that the mounting unit (which for some reason does not match the picture in the instructions) is a little short, which makes positioning in the car a little challenging. Not enough of a problem to bother me though.
   
   Also a little troubling, is sometimes it doesn't recognize a street name, which means that you have to either be familiar with the area or experiment a little to help the unit pinpoint the exact location. I can do this in the state where I live. Not sure I could do this in other states though.
   
   Overall, so far so good and, as it hasn't got me lost yet, I am very satisfied with performance and price.

5 comments about Dash Express Two-Way Internet-Connected Portable GPS Navigator.

1. I've used this product since the day it was available to the public. I'll continue to use it, mainly because there's hope that it will one day live up to its potential, and it's functional now. Most of the reviews here are good at listing the pros and cons. I thought I would select out the ones of particular importance to me in comparison to my Tom Tom 700 and my TeleNav account:
   
   Pros:
   Internet connectivity is great and helpful
   
   Working from my computer is also helpful (though I can do some of the things they offer with my TeleNav account)
   
   Updates without having to log on are a big advantage
   
   Cons:
   Voice is annoying to listen to and mispronounces many names
   
   One doesn't have flexibility on what one sees on the screen. I'd like to see my speed the whole time. Instead I have to see arrival times which are almost alway inaccurate.
   
   Routing is at times comical: I've been told to get off the highway and then get right back on again; to go past the street I need and then make a U turn back to it; to turn onto one road and then immediately back on to the one I was on, etc.
   
   Traffic reports are uniformly inaccurate (that is, there's often no traffic when such is indicated and traffic when such is not). I suspect this is because there are not many owners near me.
   
   
   In conclusion, most of the problems I have seem relatively easy to fix, even if they have not been fixed to this point. The mechanism for improvement, given this unit's connectivity, is right there. That's why I continue to have hope for this product!



2. This unit is only good if you are going to work and home and you would like to see how long it is going to take you because of traffic. It also has a cool search function that works well. BUT if you need to go to three or four places a day like I do THIS IS NOT THE UNIT FOR YOU!!!



3. I'll summarize my review as follows: This product has some good features and some bad ones.
   
   I bought this product specifically to reduce the amount of time I spend in traffic during my daily commute (in NJ near NYC). The good news is that it has helped. While I do not yet get as much "real-time" traffic feedback as I would have hoped, I expect that once the Summer ends, this should get better. After a couple of months of use, I have only gotten stuck in 2 traffic jams that the Dash did not forewarn me of and neither of them was very bad.
   
   The bad news is that as a regular GPS, the Dash stinks. The way directions are provided and the way they are displayed are inferior my Garmin...they are even inferior to the mediocre nav system in my GM truck! You really should not plan on using the Dash for anything other than commuter help until they get better on this.



4. I bought the device as a gift for my wife--she drives around Phoenix all day, every day. I had hoped that this would save some of the time she spends sitting in traffic. The bottom line is this-DON'T BUY THIS UNIT.
   
   The basic premise of the device is that by sharing traffic data, the device can calculate a more rapid way to get from point A to point B. The sharing of traffic data is truly amazing, and it's great to see green/yellow/orange/red superimposed over the roads in front of you. For a knowledgeable commuter, this information is invaluable since you may be able to take backroads or surface streets rather than highways during rush hours.
   
   My gripes with the unit are as follows:
   
   1. The database of streets and locations and addresses is incorrect. Several of the major streets in the area of Phoenix in which I live are misrepresented in the database/map, and therefore routing in my neighborhood is simply WRONG. But that's OK--I know my own neighborhood. But I am leery about the database in general because I used the unit this weekend in Tucson and several of the routing suggestions took us to wrong locations. Including, when we were trying to go to Kartchner Caverns State Park, the Dash took us someplace about 20 minutes away! The GPS atlas in use (at least for Arizona) stinks--and it's something that our Garmin unit has right. The Hertz Neverlost works well too, so it's not that the data doesn't exist--it's that Dash isn't using it.
   
   2. The routing suggestions are frequently ridiculous. I refer to this routing scheme as the FBI scheme: the way you would drive if you were trying to lose someone who was trying to follow you! Imagine a route that is basically a straight line two miles long in real life; the Dash will suggest (sometimes) a straight line between the two, and then the alternates will be 4 or 6 miles long including circular tips around the block or U-turns after the device has guided you past the destination. On one instance we missed a freeway exit in the center of Tucson because the exit was closed for construction--the Dash unit suggested that we continue 47 miles (!) and then exit; instead, we exited at the next exit (1 mile ahead) and then the unit routed us to the correct destination. Sometimes the device will route you through little streets in neighborhoods ("shortcuts") rather than big, well-known streets with traffic signals.
   
   3. There is no way to save a route you like and see how the traffic is on that route. There is also no way to avoid a specific street or stretch of highway. There is no way to plan a trip with several stops.
   
   4. In light of the above, I simply don't trust the unit. I just don't trust that the unit is taking me to the right destination. It may just be taking me the fastest way to the wrong destination. A device like this is too unreliable for now. Once they get a decent base map in place, and the routing engine offers alternatives that a knowledgeable cabbie might make to get from point A to point B, and once it become possible to make some of the advanced routing options I proposed above, the product will be great. Until then, it is just cool.
   
   I'll be sending mine back.



5. Let me start by saying i REALLY wanted this product to succeed. They are ahead of the curve and ahead of the major GPS makers (but not for long in the 'live' traffic department from what i read) but as a whole this GPS device didn't measure up.
   
   I gave this device 3 weeks to live up to my expectations, but it never did. I have a 2-3 year old garmin with updated 2007 maps, and it can do some bone-headed navigation, but at least it always seems to try to find the shortest route. The DASH regularly routed me 'the long way' when there were obvious and pretty big roads to take to shorten the route.
   
   An example, driving home from the office, it gives me 3 choices, none of which are my tried-and-true routes, i choose one that is close to a normal route, it estimates 44 minutes to get home, this number seems high, so i disobey DASH amd take my normal turn (Connecticut Ave into NW Washington DC), it recalculates quickly and knocks off 12 minutes from my drive time. Later in the drive I override it again and another 4 minutes driving time goes away. A difference between 44 minutes and 28 minutes is pretty significant.
   
   On another drive there was a accident on the highway ahead of me blocking 3 of 4 lanes (reported via XM radio traffic), it even showed up on the DASH as 'red' road, but it drove me straight into it. I tried having it recalculate the route (as i sat stopped in traffic), but it wouldn't route me off the highway. I dug out my garmin fired it up punched in the destination, and then hit 'detour' and it told me to get off at the next exit. By the time i got to the top of the exit ramp the DASH had recalculated a route getting me back on the HWY just past the backup (a better route than the garmin came up with, as garmin attempts to completely avoid getting back on the hwy). There doesn't appear to be anyway to force it to detour around a mess in traffic.
   
   Custom MyRoutes: Great idea, but it appears to only be able to store 1 MyRoute for each route. From work to home there are 3 good ways to get home for me depending on traffic, none of which DASH finds on its own. So if i go one way, then another the next day, it forgets the first and doesn't place it in the list of possible routes.
   
   minor gripes:
   i left the car power adapter at home on a trip and although the unit has a USB port, it wont charge the battery off it, or run from an iGo with USB tip.
   
   speaker volume does not go high enough if you like to drive with windows open.
   
   Sorry to say i returned my DASH. Hopefully they will make improvements and maybe i'll buy the next version.

5 comments about Harman Kardon GPS-510 4-Inch Widescreen Portable GPS Navigator and Media Player.

1. Some of the bad reviews almost scared me away. I bought this unit anyway. I like it. Easy to use, and it is easy to program in destinations. I'm impressed with the software. Solid unit!



2. This is my first gps system. Though I like the features on it it is slow to give direction and in one case was telling me to go left onto a north bound highway when it was clearly marked on the signs to go right for south(the direction I wanted). For the hell of it I got on the north bound thinking maybe there was something I didn't know. No it told me to get back off! Maybe it likes making people go in circles?? I think I will be sending this unit back!!!



3. great item. Just used it through Calif., Oregon, Washington and B.C. Canada and didn't get lost once. Great time saver and easy to use



4. Have been using it for a little over 2 weeks now and the unit has performed extremely well.
   
   Pros:
   - Locks signal instantly
   - GPS navigation seems accurate and route/re-route calculations are fast.
   - Works great as an Audio/Video portable player.
   - Excellent screen
   - Vast POI database
   - Create & sync your own playlists using Windows Media Player in MTP mode.
   
   Cons:
   - Responded slowly a couple of times while playing MP3's.
   - The built-in speaker could be a little louder (for multimedia playback)
   - Little on the heavier side
   - Support of more video formats desired



5. Picked this up on a Gold Box deal for $200.
   
   My wife was especially interested in the MP3 capabilities, but unless you happen to have a stereo with RCA input jacks, the only way you can listen to the songs you put on it would be using the little speaker on the GPS. (I guess if you have a mini-jack plug in, you might be able to convert the two RCA's to mini-jack and plug it in that way.) But if you have neither of these options, it might just be better to get a new stereo.
   
   Okay, what about the GPS capability? I'd give it a 95% thumbs up. A few times it screwed up where it would "merge in the left lane, now prepare to turn right"??? Also, we took it on a trip to a concert in Manchester, TN. We stopped in Brentwood, TN for our hotel, and it took us to xxxx Lane instead of xxxx Street, and we had to stop and ask for directions.
   
   On the positive side, it's great to have in a city where you have no idea where you're going, and don't have to stop a look at a map to figure out where you're going.
   
   There's plenty of restaurants, stores, tourist site, etc. programmed into the unit too. Just type in an address, location, whatever, and you're ready to go. Plus, there's a battery so you can do all of this in your hotel room.
   
   Something I would like to see on it is a better way to look at maps to plan a trip, and a way to say to it, "Hwy X is backed up, find a way around it"
   
   For the price I paid, it's great, and the feeling of confidence it gives you driving around an unfamiliar city is well worth the money.

5 comments about Garmin StreetPilot c530 3.5-Inch Portable GPS Navigator.

1. This GPS works great! I'm having a lot of fun getting my directions in German, one of many languages available. I have had some minor problems with the suction cup that attaches the device to the wind shield, but otherwise, I am very satisfied.



2. I have never owned a GPS before and when I received it I was apprehensive about assembly. There was almost no assembly required other than plugging it into the cigarette lighter and attaching the windshield suction cup. I never had to read the instructions for how to operate it for the touch screen gave all the instructions once the power was turned on. I am never lost in any part of the city and feel more adventurous in finding new locations to visit. It is so small and light that I also travel with it. There is a protective case to prevent damage as well.



3. This is wonderful - "Gizmo" got confused in Atlanta - but so do I. Love it!!!



4. This is the second (or third if you count my Husband's) Garmin I've bought, all three were through Amazon. I bought this one to replace my old one that had recently died. I have yet to look at the manual that came with it. Everything is very user-friendly and pretty intuitive. Straight out of the box it was working great. The touch screen is a great improvement (my old one had a scroll wheel and made searching for addresses very difficult). The maps are a little out of date, but I live in a fast developing area, so there is a decent reason. Overall, I would recomend this to a first time or occasional user. I'm not sure if a real technophile or someone who depends on their GPS daily would be as happy, but it's fine for me.



5. I've had the Garmin Street Pilot 530 for well over a year now and love it more each time I use it. I took it to Hawaii and used it there and never got misdirected once. The only thing I noted was when I had it look for the Polynesian Cultural Center it couldn't find it BUT it did find the Pauli Nezian Cultural Center. We got a good laugh on that one. I would reccomend this model to anyone who is looking for a modestly priced, quality product.
   I do have one complaint, however. Recently, the auto power cord fell apart and I had to buy an aftermarket replacement unit from Radio Shack. The part that goes into the power outlet in the car, fell apart and we lost the center pin that makes contact with the power outlet. Other than that, no problems.

5 comments about Magellan RoadMate 1412 4.3-Inch Widescreen Portable GPS Navigator.

1. I have been using my Roadmate 1412 for nearly two months. All in all, it is a competent GPS unit, but does have it's shortcomings. It will get you where you need to go, but not always in the fastest mode possible. The unit can occasionally get confused, but does adjust well, which is reflected in a revised route.
   
   The largest shortcoming is the fact that the unit will occasionally freeze, and need to be reset. One form simply requires depressing the "reset" button, while the second requires re-initializing the GPS itself. Neither of these is a big deal if you understand what is going on, but for those that cannot easily troubleshoot, this would be a significant shortcoming.
   
   Text to speech works very well, and most of the mapping is up to date, although you will notice a few issues with roads that are missing.
   
   Dollar for dollar, this is a competent unit if you can figure out how to deal with the "freeze" effect.



2. This is my first gps. I tested many units in store before buying this one at best buy. It was a toss up between this and a similar garmin. This one seemed to have much better reception and faster address recognition. Right out of the box I was disappointed that it did not come with any other way of charging the unit besides the car adapter (not sure if the garmin did either). There are also a lot of POI's on this unit (6 mil) - not sure about how many on the garmin - something they may want to list on the box. The unit has only about half of the advertised battery life even with the screen on half power. The unit also looses charge when not in use after only a couple weeks. Most of my problems with this unit come from when it is not connected to the car adapter. I like to plan my trips before getting in the car and then put it on the windshield, something I have had some difficulty doing because the unit often freezes or shuts off while doing so. Even with the battery indicator showing a full charge, the unit will shut off randomly when trying to enter information. This was such a problem I exchanged it with a new one just to find out they all have the same problems turning off when typing. I believe it may be a problem in the provided software - I recently did a firmware update through the Magellan website which did not fix the bugs or shutting off (it added small red dots to help match streets to names). The software works fine when connected to the car charger though, minus the fact it sometimes gives some slow routes.
   
   Pros:
   Text-to-speech
   Very easy to use and quick software
   6 million POIs
   Nice price
   Very good reception even indoors
   
   Cons:
   Short battery life
   Interrupted use when running on internal battery (shuts off)
   No wall or USB charger included!
   Not the smartest routes



3. This is a great GPS for basic navigation. Some people complain that they can't do "mods" to it. But I could care less because it's purpose is to guide me in my travels. At this application it excels. Bright crisp screen, easy to use, and gets great satellite reception. Only negative thing I have to say is it does not come with a home charger (just a car charger) and does not come with a case. My friend bought a magellan mastro that did come with a charger and case but was more money and I think my screen is a better quality screen. His had less clairity and also distored when you use the touch screen which mine does not.



4. ...since I've been using it, I've noticed that the maps are not 100% accurate. More like 98%. For instance, when driving along and I pull into certain shopping centers or business parks, those roads (and even though they've been around for many years); do not show up on the device. It shows the main road leading to those certain locations, but when you pull in, the display shows you as being just off the main road that got you there in the first place. Other than that, the device is very reliable and hasn't locked up on me or had any other ancillary problems. The POI locations and phone numbers are a great feature to have, especially on vacation, but I guess when it comes down to it, maps, locations, restaurants, stores....they are either IN business or they are NOT in business, so updates are always going to be needed. In closing I'd also like to mention that the display is excellent, as well as the voice and loudness. You don't have to struggle to hear it when it calls out your upcoming turns, etc.



5. When my son bought me this for my birthday I thought I wouldn't use it much, but wow, it takes me directly to my son's "away" soccer games, and even correctly directs me down some pretty obscure one-lane back roads. Good job Magellan!

5 comments about Garmin nüvi 250 3.5-Inch Portable GPS Navigator (Silver).

1. This product works great, it just seems as though the battery doesn't lat 5 hours like it says it does...other than that, it's great!



2. I bought this for extensive travel in Southern California this summer and it has been wonderful. I have not needed a map at all--just download the updated maps from the Garmin website and you are set. You can also use settings to avoid freeways, etc., which has been nice for seeing more of Los Angeles. If you screw up and make a wrong turn, it automatically recalculates to find an new route. I am recommending this to all of my friends. Anyone who says they are "directionally challenged" while driving should have one of these.



3. Purchased the Nuvi 250 just before going on vacation to California. We traveled from Anaheim through Oxnard, Ventura, Ojai, and Santa Barbara; and all points in between. Worked great everywhere. I highly recommend
   it. It's got all the bang for the buck.



4. Before I purchased Garmin 650, I didn't have any GPS, so my travels were based on Google or Mapquest maps. Garmine 650 cheated me thrice by giving incorrect information. Yesterday I took my family to South Lake Tahoe, CA. We been there 4-5 times and this was our first visit to Tahoe after the Garmin purchase. The configuration on the GPS was set for the Fastest Time(Factory settings). We thought we would follow our new travel companion (Nuvi 650) although it misbehaved earlier times. It took a different route and we reached 5 hours later at the destination. Instead of pretty straight route I680-I80-US50 it showed us Pittsburgh,Antioch,Stockton, Lodi and what not and finally put us on 50 without touching I80 at all. Even though we followed the route, intermittently it gave us Off-Route and recalculated the routes so many times.
   
   While coming back as soon as we reached I80 Nuvi asked us to take a different route and the estimated travel time was showing 3 hrs 45 mins(fastest route). But since we knew the route, we followed I-80 and after a while recalculated and showed estimated time as 3 hrs 15 mins.
   
   I am not satisfied with this GPS and would not recommend this. I guess I have to take the print(Google or Mapquest) for long distance travel.



5. In my opinion Garmin nuvi 250 is a very good product. The estimated arrival time to my destinations has been very accurate so far and it had been able to find most of my destinations. I work on the road all the time and it helps me to find really good shortcuts that before having Garmin I was not aware of. The only ting that I am not so thrilled about is that it needs to be plugged all the time to the AC connector/charger because its battery does not last long if it is not connected.
   Also, if you are thinking on buying this product go ahead and by the upgrade. If you live in a big city, the maps in Garmin 250 might not have the newest streets or new highways uploaded. I might go for it as well pretty soon.

5 comments about TomTom GO 930 4.3-Inch Touchscreen Portable GPS Navigator.

1. I purchased this product for the following reasons. Both North American and European maps included for a reasonable price. The ability to route by shortest distance, lease use and most use of freeways, pedestrian routes and the sleek design.
   I unpacked the unit and was happy with the overall interface of the unit and the ability to customize the details that would display on the screen. After that is when it all fell apart. Within a few days I logged on to the Tom-tom web site and began to down load the updates, they included a system update, North American and European map updates. What I quickly discovered was there was not enough room to install the base maps that came with the system on the unit. I called tech support they told me I must be mistaken and the unit must be defective, I should return it for repair. Instead I returned it to Amazon and purchased a replacement. The new unit had the same exact problem, I pushed tech support for a better answer and after a few days I finally got the answer that the updated maps would not fit on the unit as designed. In fact I was told they installed an older version on the units on purpose because they required more than the 4GB worth of memory on the unit. Now even if the last statement is not accurate the fact is, the current maps which were available shortly after release of the unit will not fit. You have to purchase a minimum of a 4 GB SD memory card to install them. Now this in itself is not so awful, even if it is misleading when you purchase the unit. A 4 GB memory card is less than $50.00 but the problem is when you log on to the system you are forced to decide where in memory you want to install map updates or software updates. This is a selection you must make when you first connect to the unit. If you have multiple updates you need to continue to disconnect and reconnect. Then you have to know where you need to apply the changes you want to make. What made this even worse, I removed the 4GB memory card after I applied the European maps and when I reinstalled the card the 930 could not find the maps anymore. By this time I had spent so many hours with tech support getting inconsistent answers I just gave up. Now I think Tom-Tom could easily fix this problem by allowing me to install just the European maps I wanted. They can be purchased as regions if you did not get them with the unit, this would have been an acceptable option since I was not planning on going to Russia or several other countries that were on the base map. I have other suggestions but that would make this review really drag on.
   There were a few other problems and limitations that disappointed me as well. I personally think one of the greatest enhancements to come to GPS in the last few years is not the ability to look at your pictures, or play MP3 files. But the ability to have text to speech read you the road and or street names while you are driving. This allows you to keep your eyes on the road and be told the name of the street you need to turn on. The novelty voices do not have text to speech and when you purchase them and load them there is no warning that you will not have this features. In fact at the directions of tech support to increase available memory I mistakenly removed the text to speech voice and could never return it to the unit.
   After being frustrated with the unit I went out and purchased a Garmin 880 unit and actually drove with a Garmin 880, Tom-tom 930 and a Magellan 4250 in my windshield. The Magellan does not have European maps available ( or at least that I could find). My findings with this were interesting, I learned something that makes the Garmin the best choice of all the GPS units, but what I also discovered is the Tom-Tom had the worst display and the worst information for letting you know the next turn that you had to make in advance. The Magellan was probably the best with advance notice but the Garmin had the best display and road details. The one killer feature that the Garmin has that none of the others on this list have is real time updates of points of interest. What I mean by this is , let's say you are driving down route 95 and you know you will be traveling on this road for the next several miles. You are looking for a restaurant or a hotel. You can choose your options from points of interest and the Garmin will continue to update showing you the direction and distance of all the valid choices. The restaurant or hotel names and distances will continue to change as you drive. Both the Tom-Tom and the Magellan will only show you the current results and you need to start the search over again if you want updated information. This feature alone makes the Garmin the top choice in any GPS unit, imagine you are driving down the road and need the nearest gas station, you search on the Tom-Tom and all the nearest stations are the wrong direction. If you want to keep checking you need to begin the search again. If you have a Garmin you put your search in and as you drive your choices will update. In the end I retuned the Tom-Tom and kept the Garmin 880 which I think was too expensive but I like it and you can get other Garmin models with similar features for much less. Now all we need is for Garmin to add the two way feature that Dash has to their unit for the perfect GPS.



2. The product had so many features that attracted me to it. It really is a step ahead of other products out there. The problem is that, even though my BlackBerry 8100 is supported by TomTom for this product, the TomTom services are unavailable.
   
   80 to 85% of the features work for me, but none of the TomTom services work--even though the wide varity of available services and protocols which TomTom should support, they said the US protocol did not meet their specifcations. I am very disappointed.



3. This is my 2nd one, the first one I ordered had horrible battery life and would turn on by itself. But the new one is great. It definitely prefers the highway, even during rush hour, but a quick find alternative route fixes that. Bluetooth and the ability to play MP3 are a big plus.



4. The TomTom Go 930T was simple to install. It was simple to operate for basic navigation functions, however for route planning it took a little longer to learn and I had to ask for technical support.
   
   It would preplan and create a route and it would calculate the shortest route (default option). Knowing the route I wanted to go a different way so I modified the route. After turning the unit off and then back on it would recalculate the route again and not use the modification I wanted. I later had to create an itinery and put a waypoint on a specific road I wanted to travel on so that when it created the route it would include that road.
   
   I also found out the unit would not reverse an itiniary route for a return trip so I had to create the same route in both directions.
   
   The map is very accurate as it had my street at the correct location which on all other maps I've seen including paper maps the location was incorrect. It appears another user had updated the street name with Map Share which is a great feature.
   
   The traffic feature (T) works great as I was 25 miles away from Nashville, TN and it told me there was a 20 minute delay. As I approached the city, it kept updating the delay time. When I got to the location the delay was down to about 6 minutes and that was close to what the delay was. It also informed me of road construction when I was aproaching another City. This is another great feature.
   
   Overall, I am very happy with the products performance and would recommend it.



5. I have had the pleasure of using the 930 in Europe and in various major cities in the U.S. and I have never been disappointed. I have found myself in obscure areas of Italy, Spain and France not adequately reflected on paper maps and the 930 was successful in guiding the way every time. It has proven to be an indispensable navigational tool. All other GPS devices referenced in other reviews here simply pale in comparison. Is the device entirely fool proof, no, and neither are those devices from Tomtom wannbes such as Garmin and Magellan, but it is the best available product on the market in this price range. I have owned many Tomtom devices over the years including various PDA versions of the software and each has provided years of reliable service. Further,I have had the occasion to contact Tomtom customer service/technical support from time to time and in each instance the support proved both prompt and curteous. That being said, I am not suggesting that there is no room for improvement. However, I am confident that it will be Tomtom that will lead the way in improving the navigational device experience in the future. By the way, the lane guidance feature of the 930, when available, is phenomenal.

5 comments about Magellan Maestro 5310 5-Inch Widescreen Portable GPS Navigator.

1. I am a novice with GPS systems yet have family members who use them more regularly.
   
   I bought this product specifically for road trip vacations. The 5-inch screen made it unnecessary for me to wear my reading glasses to see it. The menu interface is fairly user-friendly and the voice over adjustable volume can be set loud to hear even with music playing at high levels.
   
   During my recent trip to Orlando, the only issue I ran into was being routed through the gated off employee parking lot for Animal Kingdom theme park and the guard routed us to the main entrance which he told us happens alot with GPS systems in general. Also, the Magellan unit is so slim & compact, it fit snugly in my backpack.
   
   I reviewed 9 different prospective units before deciding on purchasing this one and I am thoroughly satisfied with that decision.



2. 
   This GPS is as good as advertised with a great screen and graphics. It does take some getting used to however and one must learn quickly to only glance at the monitor and keep driving distraction to a minimum.



3. IT IS NOT ALL IT HAS CRACKED UP TO BE, NO BLUETOOTH, IT IS BIG I SENT IT BACK



4. The product has functioned as expected ... it came with a dashboard mounting assembly and not the windscreen mount as was specified on the original box. The product was delivered expeditiously after the order was confirmed.



5. overall the Magellan Maestro 5310 is pretty good, i've read that the garmin are slightly better however i chose the magellan because i am able to switch routing type while in route such as (avoid freeway, easy route, shortest route) etc. while with the garmin there is a series of hoops you have to jump through to change and it isn't dynamic.
   
   the Magellan didn't get the last star from me is because of the power chord/plug issue. if you move it while plugged in it very easily disconnects and you have to move it again to get it to register as connected. however if you plug it in and have a good connection, just leave it be and don't move it. play with it after the charge. I havent tried the ac adapter for the car yet.
   
   overall the magellan is way super user friendly and great to use.

5 comments about Magellan Maestro 3100 3.5-Inch Portable GPS Navigator.

1. WOW. You can get this GPS for a song and it has everything you need to get going right out of the box. It might not have some of the features that some of the other higher priced units have but I like to use my other devices for phone and mp3 playing anyway. Text to speech is also not on this device but not needed at all. A chime rings when you need to turn, plus it gives you plenty of warning.
   
   Only thing I would change is the low number of POI's. Other than that. This is a great little unit.



2. I Purchased the Maestro 3100 in July 2008, and put it to use right away. It was great, right out of the box...simple to use, and responsive.
   
   Two things could be improved...the volume (maxed out) is very difficult to hear over the radio (turned low), and also, someone having a phone conversation in your vehicle.
   
   The display colors could be more vibrant...they get washed out in sunlight...but, for the price ($129.00), it is a very good buy, and gets the job done.
   
   Gerald J. Cifaldi



3. The best "Bang for the Buck" No Bluetooth, No MP3 Player, No loading pictures....Just a great basic GPS for your travels. The 3100 comes with a fewer number of Points of Interest than other comparable GPS units. But, you can go to the Magellan website and download or they will send you a disk for $4.95. This upgrade will give you nearly 3 times the POI.
   
   The only "Issue" I have is that my large finger don't always "fit" some of the selection boxes on the screen. I have found it much easier to use a PDA stylus or ball point pen with the tip retracted for making selections on the touch screen.
   
   This unit has met all of my expections for a auto navigation system.



4. I purchased this item for my daughter for her birthday because I already had one. It's convenient and for the price, it has great features. I love it!!



5. 
   I recently purchased mine. So far, very simple to use. I look forward to sitting down and going thru all the options.